These Things Hidden
by always.a.secret
Summary: A secret daughter, a twin, given to somebody else to raise away from the life being overshadowed by her brother. And without the fear of the Dark Lord always hovering over her head. She was given a chance at normalcy. The story unwinds and the secrets come out.
1. Chapter 1:

**Disclaimer: **I only own the idea of this fanfiction and Averie.

**Author's Note: **So, this is my first story I'm publishing in the Harry Potter part of this website. I'm very nervous seeing as I haven't posted anything and choosing a fanfiction area of such can be intimidating. But onto the story:

This was going to be just a prologue type thing. But I'm not sure now. If it was, the next chapter is going to take off at the beginning of the third year. Or I can continue it just like it is going in the first year. Opinions would be nice. Please let me know in a review or PM what you think would be good. Thanks. xoxo.

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"You have to take her, please..." a woman's voice cried as she tried not to shake as she handed the small bundle over to the man. "It's what we want...we want her safe; we want her with you."

The man looked down at the little baby girl all wrapped in pink that was now settled in his arms. He looked at his _best_ friend's wife before looking down at the baby girl again. He didn't know what to say or if he should agree to such terms. Raise his best friend's daughter? How was he supposed to do that?

"Nobody can know about her, Sirius..." his best friend told him, bringing him out of his thoughts. "Nobody. She has to be kept a secret; we told nobody but you, Albus Dumbledore, and Remus that we were going to be having twins. It's the only way she'll be kept safe."

"What about her brother? What about Harry?" Sirius asked, trying not to sound deflated or anything of the sort. "Does—will he know about her?"

James and Lily Potter shook their head, tears spilling out of their eyes. Sirius knew that it was going to be hard to take care of a baby—a baby that nobody knew he was going to have or even knew that he was involved with another woman. But this was his _best_ friend that was asking this of him and he knew that he couldn't say no and couldn't turn him down.

"Her name is Averie Lily Potter—but she must now be known as Averie Lily Black," Lily explained, trying not to cry as she looked at the bundle of pink in Sirius' arms. "We love her so much...but we can't endanger her life anymore than we've already...endangered her brother's. This is the only chance she has at growing up with a normal life."

The tears were pouring down Lily's face and Sirius was broken hearted as he clutched the baby close to him, shielding her from any danger that would come to her. He looked down at her and a smile graced his face as the baby yawned before her face returned back to it's normal state as she slept.

"You'll still be around us with her, you know? So we'll get to know her but only as your daughter, Sirius. You have to treat her as your own, don't let her know of anything else," James told him before leaning down and placing a kiss on the baby's forehead.

"Are you positive this is the best idea? What has Dumbledore said about this decision?" Sirius asked, looking from Lily to James.

He was nervous, worried about what would happen if Averie's true identity would come out. And he wasn't sure that he knew how to be a father. He hadn't even thought of wanting to have children and now, here he was about to agree to the terms that James and Lily were asking of him.

"We're positive; Dumbledore has even agreed that this is the best chance for Averie to have a normal life—without the danger of Lord Voldemort in it," James almost whispered before forcing his voice a tad bit higher.

"We know that you will care for as your own, Sirius," Lily soon spoke up, her green, almond shape eyes looking up into his eyes.

"Okay...I'll do it," he finally agreed as he clutched the small baby closer to his chest, the warmth of the love he already had for her filling his chest and his heart.

–

A year and a few months had gone by since Sirius had agreed to care for Averie as his own and he was amazed at how bright the now one year old was and how much he did love her. It pained him a little bit, every time she had uttered the word, "Daddy" to him but he had to accept it; she had to believe that he was her father.

"Daddy!" she giggled as he picked her up to take her to bed, unaware of the events that were happening across town in Godric's Hollow.

"Time for bed little lady," he laughed as he carried her up to the bedroom that he had made hers a year ago.

She just giggled as he tucked her into bed, kissing the top of her head before turning to leave. He stopped, a weird feeling overtaking him and he turned and looked at the little girl, who was already looking so much like her mother.

"I love you, Averie Lily P-Black," he told her before closing the door and heading downstairs to turn on the radio.

He listened to the radio like it was his last lifeline; he needed to make sure everything was okay and that he wouldn't hear Lily and James Potter's names on the list of deaths. He thought that he had made the right decision when he told them to use Peter Pettigrew as their secret keeper because he had thought it would have been way too obvious for them to use himself. He had thought it was the best plan that they could have but he was starting to have his doubts and they were settling in.

He jumped when there was a knock at the door and he hurriedly walked over to the door to see Remus Lupin standing there, looking upset. And that's when Sirius knew; he knew deep down in the pit of his stomach that Peter Pettigrew had given up the secret and that James and Lily were dead because of Lord Voldemort.

"They're...dead, aren't they?" Sirius asked a despondent tone taking over his voice.

Remus nodded his head, feeling just as miserable as he was sure that Sirius was feeling. Sirius ran a hand over his face before looking at Remus.

"Can you stay here with Averie? I...have to go..." Sirius asked but he didn't give Remus an option as he grabbed his wand then left rather quickly, only taking a few seconds to fire up his flying motorcycle and then leaving.

Remus sighed as he stood in the doorway, watching one of his closest friends leave the house to go to Godric's Hollow. He knew that Sirius would take it the worst out of everybody. And then there was Harry, poor little Harry who was now orphaned.

–

Remus stood in the kitchen of Sirius' house and listened as Albus Dumbledore relayed the story of Sirius killing twelve muggles and Peter Pettigrew and how he was now being taken to Azkaban. Remus didn't want to believe that Sirius had betrayed his best friends to Voldemort. But the facts were there, everybody knew that Sirius was James and Lily's secret keeper but even Remus refused to believe that he had sold them out.

"What—what about Averie? Sirius was her father—well, the only father she knew..." Remus asked, his face paling at the thought.

Dumbledore smiled softly before he himself went over to the playpen where Averie was content in playing with her toys. She stopped and looked at the older man when he came over to her. She smiled as he picked her up and held her before looking at Remus.

"Nobody but the three of us know that she's actually James and Lily's daughter, Remus; everybody that's seen her or knows about her, knows that she is Sirius Black's daughter," Albus started, looking sincerely at Remus. "And as a Black, you know she has relat—"

"No, Albus...you can't be sending her to live with one of Sirius' cousins..." Remus said, looking wide eyed at the older man. "They...won't treat her right, Albus...Sirius would never want that for her. I know he's a mass murderer but he loved her, Albus. And he would never...never want her to live with one of them.."

Albus just smiled at Remus before he handed Averie over to Remus, in which the young child giggled happily as Remus held onto her. The child had always had a fond liking of Remus Lupin, it was a good thing that he had held her in a close place in his heart as Lily and James' daughter.

"I know, Remus so that's why I was hoping that you would want to care for her," Albus informed him, looking at him. "I do not think it is Averie's interest to live with Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy because of their interest in the dark arts. I do believe that Lord Voldemort will return one day and if I were to put Averie in their care, it would not be in her best interest or what James and Lily would have wanted."

Remus felt a sense of protection surge through his body as he knew almost instantaneously that he was going to take care of Averie. He knew that he had to care for Averie the best that he could so that she wouldn't have to deal with the fear of Lord Voldemort coming after her.

"Okay, but what do I tell her when she is old enough to ask about her father?" Remus asked looking to Albus Dumbledore for an answer.

"You tell her that her father is Sirius Black and he is in Azkaban for something he is accused of doing," Albus explained softly. "Do not make Sirius out to be a villain. Just explain that he's in Azkaban for doing something that he has been accused of."

Remus nodded his head before looking down at the one year old child in his arms. Soon, she popped her thumb into her mouth and snuggled into Remus' chest. He felt this sense of protection fill him up even more as she snuggled her way closer to him. He smiled down at her before looking back at one of the most powerful wizards of all time.

"I will care for her as Lily and James had intended Sirius to do," he told the man earnestly. "When do we tell her the truth...that her parents are James and Lily Potter and that Harry Potter is her twin brother? She's going to look exactly like Lily Potter...she already does."

Albus looked at the young girl and noticed the many similarities that she did indeed share with her biological mother. He just smiled at Remus before looking around the room.

"I expect she will put it together herself but until then, we need not worry about what we cannot control until then," Albus mused before waving his wand and packing up everything that Sirius had bought the infant. "I expect that you will need help...when you take form, am I correct?"

Remus swallowed hard and nodded his head, agreeing with what Dumbledore. He knew that it was going to be hard to take care of a young girl if he kept changing into a werewolf under the full moon. But he wasn't above asking for help.

"I will have somebody stop in on the nights there is known to be a full moon, you have my word, Remus," Albus informed him before disappearing with a crack.

–

The day had come faster than Remus Lupin had expected and now, here they were at King's Cross Station waiting to get onto Platform 9 ¾. Remus was nervous because Averie was now eleven years old and headed off to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and wizardry. He had considered sending her to Beauxbatons but that was a just a thought that ran through his mind; he knew that Hogwarts was the best place for her to be.

"Oh Uncle Remus! What if I'm in Slytherin?!" she asked, worriedly turning to look at her uncle—well, the only father figure she'd ever known.

"Then Slytherin you'll be, Aves," he told her, smiling down at her before looking at the platform before helping her run into the middle of the barrier and onto the platform.

Averie's eyes widened as she saw a bunch of other wizarding students and their families buzzing around the platform and she looked at Remus before looking at the train. She was nervous about going to Hogwarts but she knew that she belonged there or that's what Remus had told her when she expressed her worries to him. He had been the best fatherly figure that she could ever hope for but she had wished so many times that her father, Sirius Black would be cleared of what he was accused of.

Suddenly, Averie flung herself around Remus' waist, hugging him fiercely the tears starting to cascade down her pretty face.

"Are you sure I have to go?!" she asked again, looking up at him the tears still on her cheeks and still pooling in her bright green eyes looking up into his.

"You'll be fine, Averie, I give you my word," he assured her before hugging her again to try to squash any doubts that she had. "You can write to me every day if you'd like and I will be most happy to write you back.  
Averie smiled before wiping the tears away and then giving him a hug again. He responded by kissing her cheek in return. He waved at her as he watched her disappear onto the Hogwarts Express, ready to start her adventure at the beloved school. He watched her find an empty compartment before he waved back at her before turning to leave King's Cross.

Averie sat in the empty compartment, twisting her hands nervously before closing her eyes. She felt that she had a connection with somebody, somebody that she didn't even know. But when she was upset or mad, she sometimes could swear she could hear somebody else's thoughts. She didn't understand what it meant and she had tried to ask her Uncle Remus once but he just blew the thought off and told her she was imagining things. And maybe she was but at this moment, she swore she could somebody else's thoughts expressing the same worries that she too had about the upcoming school year.

Her thoughts were soon interrupted when the door to the compartment opened and she looked up to see a boy with messy black hair and wire framed glasses. She looked into his eyes and she was startled to notice that he had the _exact_ same color and shape of eyes that she had. But that could just be a coincidence, right? There wasn't any other explanation but just that, a coincidence.

"Oh...do you mind if I sit here too? All the others are full," the boy explained and Averie just nodded her head. "Great, thanks. I'm Harry Potter."

"The boy..who lived," Averie mused out loud but didn't ask to see the scar. "I'm Averie Black...it's nice to meet you, Harry."

_I must not ask him about the scar; I'm sure loads of people already do_ she thought simply to herself. She had known that her Uncle Remus was a werewolf and she knew how painful it was for him to tell people. So she figured that the same thing applied here.

"Excuse me, what did you just say about my scar?" he asked and she looked at him, quite confused because she hadn't said anything.

"I'm sorry, I didn't say anything," she quipped a bit in a high pitch.

She was well aware that she had thought the thing about his scar and hadn't said it aloud. But before she could question anything else, the door open and a red haired boy stood there and asked the same thing; if he could share the compartment as well.

–

Averie stood in the entrance hall shivering and soaking wet as some boy named Neville Longbottom had managed to tip the boat over that they had shared. She felt a twinge of annoyance towards the boy who clearly had no sense of balance in his body. But she tried her best not to lash out at the boy; he seemed terrified and more so than anybody else that was huddled up in the entrance hall.

"What happened to you?!" Harry asked once he realized that Averie was soaked from head to toe and shivering.

"Yeah," Ron quipped up as well. "You look bloody cold."

Averie wanted to narrow her eyes at Neville but she chose not to as she took a deep breath to calm herself down.

"It was an accident; the boat that I was in tipped over," she explained, not indicating any names but there were only three students altogether that were soaked; her, Neville, and a girl named Hannah Abott.

Soon, Professor McGonagall walked back into the entrance hall to lead all of them into the Great Hall to be sorted. She looked at the group of students and Averie noticed the professor's eyes stopping on Harry and then Averie herself.

"Now, form a line," Professor McGonagall told the first years, "and follow me."

The group of first years followed Professor McGonagall into the Great Hall and Averie's eyes widened as she noted all of the other students and most importantly, the night sky of the Great Hall. She must not have been the only one curious about the Great Hall, because she could hear the whispers and murmurs.

"It's bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in _Hogwarts, A History,_" a girl named Hermione Granger whispered to Harry.

Averie watched as Professor McGonagall placed a four legged stool in front of them and then, on top of that she placed a pointed wizard's hat. The hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty; Averie wasn't sure if she wanted that placed on her head. But then another thought entered her mind and she was sure it wasn't her because it said this:  
_Maybe they had to try and get a rabbit out of it._

She frowned. What a peculiar thing to think and who would think that? She didn't understand and it confused her to even think about that. What would they even _do_ with a rabbit if they pulled one of the hat? It made no sense. But soon, she didn't have time to think about what to do with the rabbit as the Sorting Hat launched off into a song about the four houses.

During the song, Averie noticed that Professor McGonagall had attained a long roll of parchment and she could only assume that it was a list of all of the first years on it.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," Professor McGonagall instructed as she stepped forward. "Abbott, Hannah!"

Averie watched a girl stepped forward with blonde pigtails to sit down to be sorted. Averie was amazed but it didn't take long for the girl to be sorted and placed into Hufflepuff. Averie didn't have much time to think about what house she really wanted to be sorted into as she heard this:

"Black, Averie!" Professor McGonagall called out, interrupting the young girl's train of thought.

Averie swallowed hard and took a few steps forward before looking at the hat then at Professor McGonagall. She grabbed the hat, placed it on her head, and then sat down on the four legged stool, feeling her heart racing in her chest. She had never been so nervous in her entire life.

_"Interesting, very interesting. Another Black do we have here? Should we put you in Slytherin like most of your family has been in? Or should I put in Gryffindor like your father?" _the hat quipped in Averie's mind. _"Or do we put you in your own house like Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff? I know you've been raised by Remus Lupin, I can see it here in your head. But of course, he too was in Gryffindor, just like your father was. You'd do well as a Slytherin though, I can sense your thirst to do well. But I can sense a bit of goodness about you too; courageous and strong-willed already and you're only eleven years old. Interesting, very interesting."_

_Just make a decision_ she though impatiently. She wasn't fond of the hat digging through her mind, trying to sort out her characteristics to sort her into a house.

_"Alright then," _the hat quipped before it shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"

Averie smiled as she took the hat off and bounded over to the table that was cheering the loudest and she suffered through many introductions. She smiled brightly as she looked at the teacher and then grinned at Professor Dumbledore, who clapped his hands at her. Her eyes then fell onto the Professor that had black greasy hair but he didn't seem to have noticed her quite yet.

"Percy, who's that?" she asked, pointing at the professor who was talking to another professor.

"That's Professor Snape. He'll be your Potions teacher and he's the head of the Slytherin house," Percy explained to her.

Almost as soon as Percy had said his name, Professor Snape looked up and over at Averie. He froze in his chair as he noticed the eyes that were identical to one Lily Evans. He didn't even have time to notice that her hair was the same shade as Lily's until just then.

"Lily?" he asked loudly, silencing most of the Great Hall as he spoke.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer****:**** I only own Averie Black and this idea for the fanfiction**

**Author's Note:** So, it has been almost two months since I've updated this story and it was never my intention to take that long. My sincerest apologies and I do hope you all understand that life happens. Also, it's going to seem like Averie's a basket case in this chapter but she's going to be like this until she figures out that she's Harry Potter's twin (which will not happen for a while). So expect it. Also, I know that Draco is not being a jerk to Averie, but that's the point. I want to show the soft side to him when it comes to Averie. :) Also, I want more reviews. It is the ONLY thing that lets me know if you like the story and I know a lot of you are reading it, because I get notifications when you favorite it or whatever. I expect at least five reviews before I post another chapter. :) Enjoy.

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Months had gone by since she had been sorted into Gryffindor and the alarming surprise that a teacher had called her Lily. Nobody would explain who Lily was or if there even _was_ a Lily in the school but soon, Averie got involved in her classes, and soon forgot about the awkwardness that came after Snape had blurted out the wrong name. But as for the voice she had been hearing in her mind, it was there but she had told Professor Dumbledore about it and he had Professor Snape teaching her Occulemency in his spare time.

"You are dismissed for the night, Miss Black, go back to your common room," Professor Snape drawled on, after finally getting a successful lesson from the young girl.

"Thank you, Professor Snape," she quipped before gathering her things and leaving the Potions classroom.

She walked hurriedly back to the Gryffindor's common room; she had never liked the castle at night and even with the torches that lit up the hallways, it was still a bit creepy. She tried to also ignore the moving paintings that were bustling about still, talking amongst themselves. She'd been here roughly three months and it still bothered her that they moved and talked. But that wasn't nearly as bad as the ghosts that roamed through the castle.

"Pig snout," Averie muttered to the Fat Lady and she stepped inside after the portrait swung open.

She stepped into the room, seeing a few people scattered around including Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger. She smiled politely at them as she began to move towards the stairs to go up to the girls' dormitory.

"Wait, Averie," Harry called out and scrambled up and walked over to her. "How are your lessons going with Professor Snape? Is he acting peculiar?"

Averie frowned and shook her head no at Harry. She didn't understand why Harry didn't like Professor Snape very well; he was very nice to her and even gave her house points when she brewed a potion correctly or answered one of his questions. Everybody that was in Gryffindor found it weird but they didn't press the matter because for once, Professor Snape was actually giving their house some points.

"No, he was acting fine," she told Harry, her voice low and she tried to keep the irritation out of her voice. "I really wish you would stop bugging me after I get back from my lessons with him, Harry. He's a _good_ teacher. He's actually my favorite."

And with that, she turned and walked up to her dormitory before she spouted something else off that wouldn't be very polite.

–

It was the day of Harry's first official quidditch game, although Averie wasn't sure she'd like the sport but she was willing to go sit in the crowd to watch. She also wasn't sure if she liked Harry or if she disliked him; he seemed to get into a lot of trouble. But that wasn't what bothered her, she just didn't think he used his head. She didn't get why he wouldn't be more careful about his life when his parents had died for him to be safe. She _wished_ that she knew that her father was in Azkaban prison _for _defending her or something of the sort.

"Averie, are you coming down to breakfast?" Hermione asked, looking at Averie, watching her twirl her hair up into a loose ponytail.

"Yes, give me a minute, please," Averie mumbled as she looked into the mirror that she had set on her end table.

Hermione nodded before going downstairs to wait for her and the boys. Even if Averie wasn't sure if she liked Harry, she did however like Hermione and got along well with Ron. Averie grabbed her scarf and heavy jacket before rushing down the stairs to see Hermione chatting with Dean Thomas and Seamus. Averie smiled politely before tucking her hair behind her ears, the pieces that were too short to be in the ponytail but too long to be called bangs.

"Hello, Averie," Dean politely said as he broke away from the conversation to greet her.

Averie just nodded as she looked around and noted to herself that Ron and Harry were the only ones that they were waiting for. She was trying her best to try to like Harry, she didn't want to have all this animosity towards him for some stupid petty thought that was in her mind. She looked up to see Ron and Harry hustling down the stairs, clearly in a hurry and she noted that Harry's hair was all over the place, like it normally was.

"Sorry," they both muttered at the same time.

Averie and Hermione just shrugged it off before they all headed towards the Great Hall to eat a breakfast before the big game. They sat around the table, Averie eating mainly fruit and a bagel, watching as Harry just sat there, looking sick to his stomach.

"You've got to eat some breakfast," Averie told him and shoved a bowl full of eggs towards him.

"I don't want anything," he replied and pushed the bowl of eggs away, with a look of disgust on his face.

Averie tried not to roll her eyes because she didn't understand how it felt to be so nervous about a game so she decided not to press the matter anymore but that didn't stop Hermione from pressing it further. Averie tuned them out and looked over at the Slytherin table and smiled warmly at Draco Malfoy, somebody she never thought she'd have a friendship with. She turned back around, once she saw him return the smile and she finished her bagel before looking at her other friend, Neville.

"Good morning, Neville. Oversleep?" she asked him, making small talk with him as he looked frazzled and as if he was missing something.

He jumped a bit before relaxing and nodding his head. He wasn't much of a talker in the morning or at least that's what Averie chalked it up to.

"Good luck, Harry," Averie told him as she stood up and grabbed her things. "I'll see you out there—well, I'll see you playing, I mean."

Averie just shook her head before disappearing from the Great Hall and heading back to the Gryffindor's common room, having left her wand there. She usually never forgot her wand, but she was too absorbed into clearing and blocking her mind with Occulemency. She spouted off the password before hurrying up to the dormitory and grabbing her wand before she hurried down to the Quidditch stands and found a spot by Hermione and Neville.

–

Averie was sitting in Hagrid's hut with Ron, Hermione, and Harry after the Quidditch game, in which Harry's broom had been cursed. They were insisting that Professor Snape was the one to be the one to have been performing the curse on his broom.

"It was Snape," Ron was explaining. "Hermione and I saw him. He was cursing your broomstick, muttering, he wouldn't take his eyes off of you."

Ron was telling Harry who he thought was performing the curse against him.

"Rubbish," Averie spouted off angrily, giving them each a look, not even realizing she had said the word at the exact same time that Hagrid had said them.

"Why would Snape do somethin' like that?" Hagrid asked, looking at Averie. He was fond of the girl, just as if she was like Hermione, Ron, and Harry.

Averie watched the trio look at one another, obviously wondering what to say to both Hagrid and Averie. Averie noticed the look pass through Harry's eyes and sighed to herself, knowing he was about to come up with a convincing argument about Professor Snape.

"I found out something about him," he told them, but mainly to Averie and Hagrid. "He tried to get past that three-headed dog on Halloween. It bit him. We think he was trying to steal whatever it's guarding."

Averie rolled his eyes. It didn't surprise her that Harry knew about a _dangerous_ three-headed dog because he was prone to finding danger and trouble. Averie barely recognized her voice as she started shouting at him.

"You are always putting yourself in danger, aren't you? You don't have a care in the world except for trying to put everything against Professor Snape just because he gives you a hard time in class," she shouted, barely recognizing her own voice. "Has it ever occurred to you that you've put yourself in danger so many times, it's hard for _anyone_ to like you?! Your parents _died_ for you to be safe, Harry and you go and put yourself in danger. Do you know that I don't even know who my _mother_ is?! And that my father is in a wizard prison because of something he did?! I don't even know _what_ he did but I only hope it was something that makes him a hero or something he did to protect me. And there you are, putting yourself in danger. And one day, it will bite you in the butt."

Averie huffed before getting up and storming out of Hagrid's hut, not caring that it was dark out and that there could be something lurking in the shadows. She stormed up to the castle, not even looking back at the hut she had just stormed out. She didn't care to know anything else about that three-headed dog or what it was hiding. She wasn't going to go looking for trouble; that wasn't her cup of tea.

"Pig snout," she said angrily at the Fat Lady's portrait and didn't bother saying a thank you after the portrait swung open to let her in.

"Averie, are you okay?!" George or Fred asked, seeing the young girl walk into the common room.

"What?"

She looked at them and only then realized that she had tears streaming down her face. She touched at them with the pads of her fingers, almost shocked that she was crying. She looked at them before nodding her head.

"You're crying...are you sure?" George asked, Averie being able to tell them apart now that she was paying attention.

She'd struck a close friendship with the twins since the first week of being at Hogwarts and she adored them. And she loved that they took her through secret passages in the school, trusting her to keep it a secret and she trusting them to not get her into trouble.

"I'm fine...I just...I just blew up at...Harry Potter," she mumbled, now realizing that she had shouted at him out of anger.

George looked shocked before watching as she sat down on the couch and he sat next to her. He wasn't good with crying girls—especially the first years.

"Um...do you want to talk about it?" he stammered a bit, trying to come up with the right words to say to the upset girl.

"He's just...he makes me angry, sometimes," she sighed as she ran her fingers through her wind blown hair. "And I don't even really know _why_ he makes me angry. Because he doesn't do anything _to_ me to make me angry but he...just does."

George looked out of place as he sat beside the girl, who was clearly trying to understand her own feelings. He awkwardly put an arm around her shoulders and hugged her into him, softly.

"Look, I know I don't know much about your situa—," George started to say.

"Do you know my father's in prison?" she blurted out, interrupting him. "I don't talk much about it—actually, this is the second time I've told anybody in school. I don't even know why he's in there or anything. Just that he's accused of doing something."

George once again wasn't sure what she wanted him to do or say and she was young, only eleven years old and she was already having a mess of feelings. So he just sat there, awkwardly hugging her.

"I'm sorry, George," she laughed, wiping her pretty face off with the sleeve of her jacket. "You don't want to be talking to a silly little girl that has too many feelings."

George just smiled at her and messed her hair up, like he'd do to Ginny.

"Hey, it's no problem," he told her, as if he'd said the right things, the things that she needed to hear. "I got your back, Aves."

She smiled at him before getting up to go to her dormitory.

"Thank you, George," she told him, looking down at him. "I appreciate it.'

"What are friends for?"

The last thing she saw before she disappeared up the stairs to her bed, was his smile. And that's when she felt, the stirrings of her first crush.

–

November and December had flown by so fast that Averie was almost overwhelmed with packing to go home for break. Her part of the room she shared was still messy and her trunk was empty and now, she was scrambling around to get her things packed away. But she couldn't focus, she was too excited to go home and visit her Uncle Remus. Even the awkwardness that was still between her and Harry didn't bother her. She refused to apologize for shouting at him, keeping a hold of the anger that fueled her dislike for him. And he didn't bother trying to strike up a conversation with her anymore because she just gave him the silent treatment.

"Have a good holiday, Averie," Hermione said politely as she pulled her trunk behind her.

Averie nodded her head before finally just doing a few spells to put everything away and in her trunk. She didn't have time for neatness or anything because it'd take forever if she did.

"You too, Hermione," she called after the bushy haired girl before she sat on the edge of her bed.

Now that the room was empty, she had time to think and she thought about the scene she'd created in Hagrid's hut almost two months ago. It was bad and she'd said some things she wasn't sure if she really meant or if they were even true but she was still angry with Harry and she didn't really understand why. She ran her fingers through her red locks before standing up and putting on her coat and grabbing her things. She'd fix things after the holidays—she just wanted to see her Uncle Remus and be away from the castle.

"Have a good Christmas," she told Harry and Ron as she emerged into the common room. She was raised to be polite, and the past month and a half she'd been anything but.

She noticed the look of shock on Harry's face as she spoke and she just looked at him, trying not to scowl or glare.

"You too, Averie," Ron quipped up, clearly not mad at her for something she felt.

"Yeah, you too," Harry murmured a minute or so later.

Averie just nodded before hurrying so she didn't miss the train and so that she could sit with Neville and Hermione.

Once she was settled on the train, she relaxed and conversed politely with Hermione and Neville, stripping away all of her fears and worries she'd had in the past month. She had even started hearing the voice in her head again, which made Professor Snape angry with her, claiming she wasn't trying her best anymore. But that only worried her more, making her unable to clear her mind to clearly block it out.

"Are you ever going to talk to Harry again, Averie?" Hermione asked, bringing the awkward situation up. "He feels bad about making you upset that day, he really does. But he doesn't understand why you're so upset with him."

Averie looked at Hermione, trying not to get agitated with her either.

"I don't even know why it bothers me that he puts himself in danger," she confessed and began to wring her hands in her lap. "It just does. It just...makes me angry that he'd do something so stupid."

Averie looked at Hermione who just nodded, trying not to press the matter any further. Averie excused herself to go find the bathrooms on the train as an excuse to go hang out with Draco for a little bit, the friendship always having been a secret.

"Hello, Averie," Draco drawled out as he lounged on one side of the compartment he had all to himself. "Come to see me, did you?"

Averie just smiled and sat down across from him, keeping her knees pressed together as she looked at him.

"Why do you hate Harry?" she asked, tilting her head to the side.

Draco immediately sat up and looked at her, her red hair framing her face and her green eyes staring back at him. He sucked in a breath as he gathered his thoughts.

"Because, Averie. He's an attention seeking half-blood that gets away with everything and he's too good for my tastes," Draco informed her before looking at her again. "Why? Do you hate him too? Because that would be a first; a Gryffindor that hates Saint Potter."

Averie looked down at her lap, tears filling her eyes once again. She didn't understand why she was getting upset.

"I don't know why I hat—dislike him so much," she sputtered, the tears slipping down her face. "I don't understand why or how I can dislike him when he's done absolutely nothing to me personally. I don't understand why I feel so angry at him all the time."

Draco stared at her, not sure what he was supposed to do with an emotional girl but eventually he just hugged her, showing the side of him he never let anybody see.

"Averie, please don't cry," he pleaded with her, patting her back softly. "Please, stop crying. Please."

"I don't...I don't even know why I'm crying," she sniffled as she managed to get a hold of her emotions and wiped her tears away. "I just feel so horrible for disliking him for no reason."

Draco looked at her and felt a pang of sadness for her, the only girl he's allowed himself to get close to and attached to. But he wouldn't admit it to anybody that he was nice to her or let her cry on his shoulder because that would be something to be laughed at for. Plus, he had a reputation to withhold and he couldn't be that sappy boy that allowed a girl to cry in his arms.

"It's okay, Averie," he told her. "Everybody has feelings that they don't know what to do with."

–

The train pulled up to King's Cross station at midday and Averie jerked awake with a start and noticed she was still in Draco's compartment, sleeping against him. She looked at him, wide eyed as he sat there just looking out the window.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled, her cheeks flushing pink as she got up and straightened out her sweater dress she'd chosen to wear home. "I should've...left earlier. Hermione and Neville are probably wondering where I ended up at."

Draco just smirked as he stood up and he patted her head in a friendly way before giving her a hug, that was just as awkward as it'd always been.

"Don't worry, Black," he smirked as he saw people starting to file out. "Your secret is safe with me."

He then flashed her a smile as he disappeared from the compartment, leaving her to herself. She let it clear out a bit before she hurriedly went to go get her things she'd left in the compartment with Hermione and Neville. She thankfully noticed they were gone and she grabbed everything before rushing out and onto the platform, looking for her Uncle Remus.

"Averie!" he called out as he pushed past some of the other parents and walked over to her. "Averie Lily Black, you have grown at least a foot since I last saw you!"

She laughed before hugging him, managing not to cry this time as he hugged her back. She was happy to be going back to the only place she could call home.

"I have not, Uncle Remus," she quipped back as she looked up at him. "I've missed you so much."

He smiled at her as they walked out to leave the station and go back home. She looked around, hoping to get one last look at the boy that let her cry on his shoulder. She saw his blonde head and smiled before she noticed the man that she could only assume was his father staring at her, giving her an uneasy feeling. Remus noticed the look of unease on her face and followed her gaze to Lucius Malfoy and he tugged her along to keep her from staring.

"And I have missed you, Averie," he told her, glancing back at Lucius before turning his full attention to his niece. "You will have to tell me all about school."


End file.
